Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
August 28, 2018

A public service vehicle (PSV) driver and conductor, jointly accused of wounding another man, were today granted $5,000 bail each in the District ‘A’ Magistrate’s Court.

The driver, 41-year-old Shawn Ricardo Harewood, of Block 7C, Pleasant Hall Land, St Matthias, Christ Church, pleaded not guilty, while the conductor, 35-year-old Darrun O’Brian Phillips, of Todds Land, St
George, pleaded guilty to unlawfully and maliciously wounding Samuel Sealy on
August 27 with intent to maim, disfigure or disable him or to do some serious bodily harm to him.

Shawn Ricardo Harewood (left) Darrun O’Brian Phillips (right)

Sergeant Rudy Pilgrim objected to bail for the two accused on the grounds that the offence was serious and allegedly occurred at “high day time” while Sealy was plying his trade and in the midst of the travelling public.

The prosecutor also revealed that there was still “some volatility” surrounding the matter.

“We would not want for the situation to escalate,” Pilgrim added.

However, in his application for bail, Phillips said while he agreed that the charge was serious he had no charges pending before the court and did not believe that the situation would escalate.

“As far as I know the virtual complainant was treated at hospital and discharged,” Phillips told Magistrate Douglas Frederick.

Harewood’s attorney Shadia Simpson asked the magistrate to give her client “the benefit of the doubt as he had no history with the complainant”. Simpson also pointed out that Harewood had no prior convictions and was not currently on bail.

“He was plying his trade at the time, in the same place, and pleaded with the police to speak with witnesses. My client clearly distances himself from the incident and told police he was nowhere near when it occurred,” she further submitted, while suggesting that the court could impose conditions on her client that would satisfy the prosecution’s fears.

It was then that Sergeant Pilgrim revealed that Sealy was stabbed several times with a scissors and was treated and discharged from hospital.

Following that revelation, the magistrate granted bail to the two accused on the condition that they do not interfere with Sealy.